1. Field of the Invention
This invention is about a system to be used to add non-indexed (and, therefore, non-listed) characters to the vocabulary bank of character-key-in methods, particularly those character-key-in methods used in hand-held mobile communication devices.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As mobile communication devices such as mobile phones, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistance) etc., become more and more popular, and manufacturers are vying with each other for customers, all kinds of value-plus, often personalized, features have been added to this little device to win the hearts of consumers. When a consumer is making a purchasing decision, the factors he must weigh include not just the price of a certain device, but compatibility and expandability of the device as well.
Presently, almost all hand-held mobile communication devices on market have built-in character-key-in methods for users to key in data or messages as needed. Generally speaking, most character-key-in methods used in mobile communication devices do not index all the characters provided by the built-in vocabulary bank stored in the memory of the device. Depending on brands and makes, the number of characters a character-key-in method can key out ranges from a few hundred to a few thousand, which is just enough for general purposes but not for special occasions and needs.
As hand-held mobile communication devices all have their character-key-in methods built in their IC memories, it is impossible for a user to add originally non-indexed characters to a certain character-key-in method. When a situation arises that requires a user to key in a character not available with a certain key-in method, his best bet is to make a make-shift key-in—choosing a substitute character that best resembles the intended one in shape, meaning, or pronunciation. This certainly is an inconvenience that a user may or may not want to live with.